Canucks select Tyler Madden at No. 68

With their third pick in the 2018 NHL draft, the Canucks have selected forward Tyler Madden from the United States Hockey League. The son of former NHLer John Madden will play for Northeastern University in the NCAA next season.

Madden is also an ‘intangibles’ darling – known for his leadership qualities, willingness to do whatever it takes and laying it all out there. He also isn’t afraid to mix it up and get to the front of the net.

Without a doubt, he will need to add strength and weight to be successful in professional hockey. The combine is next week and we will have a better idea of what his measurements are but the public ones generally have him around 155 lbs on his 5’10” frame.

The Deerfield Beach native led the Storm in shots on goal by 23 (141 total shots) and 2nd in points per game behind Sam Hentges (who played 20 games)

Since Madden is committed to Northeastern for next season, there is a reason to believe that he will be given a large role with Huskies. NE has seen their entire top line graduate to the NHL this summer and there will be an opportunity for players like Madden to take over and be given a chance to be leaders.

You can’t teach the speed and intangibles that Madden has and add the fact that a team will retain his rights for four years, Madden appears to be a decent value bet by whoever selects him despite the underlying numbers leaving some question marks.

It’s not politics you should worry about. It is a player’s ability to mesh with the culture of the team and the community. It isn’t fair to assume the belief system of this kid but avid Trump supporters aren’t known for the tolerance and multiculturalism that Vancouver is.

The original support for Trump was voting against the old political system with life long politicians and special interest groups. Where Trump has gone since then has caused many people to quit supporting him. I wouldn’t be worried about it unless he was still doing a Rosanne Barr.

Really? Trump is exactly what we knew he would be – he’s a full blown racist and always has been. He campaigned on that. Anyone who supports or excuses that doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt, including young Madden. If he’s changed his ways, great, but keep this guy away from the team no matter how ‘gritty’ he is.

Did you see something beyond his twitter? I see the dumb anthem stuff but beyond that it seems mostly the kind of stuff a teenage hockey player posts. I’d actually be more concerned about his fascination with Connor Macgregor…

Yeah, I’m glad he’s not a foaming-at-the-mouth leftist with no values, individuality or morals like Dirk Diggler here. There’s nothing more indicative of a person struggling to get through life than them expressing a need to police people’s beliefs and opinions on a hockey forum. You people really are obsessed, aren’t you? You have nothing else but politics, and you even suck at that. You have no arguments, so you resort to false ad hominems.

Do they really need more Canadians in the system? Was picking Lind Gajovich, di Pietro, and Brassard (ie. 50% of last year’s picks) not enough Canadian for you? This isn’t the 1970’s NHL, there is no correlation to a team’s success and the ratio of Canadian players on them. Draft the best player available, regardless of which flag they come from.

This kid will take some time but could turn out just fine. Canucks must have had him rated as the best centre still available.

Aside from Gadjovich the Canucks sure haven’t been drafting much size. Some really talented players that hopefully become great but this year’s prospects camp is going to look a little like a meeting of a high school math club.

Maybe their recent view is speed, skill and character are tough to trade for, so draft them. Size can be picked up in trade and free agency. Benning drafted size earlier in his tenure (thinking Tryamkin, Virtanen, Mackenzie etc).

hes trying to hit a home run in late rounds and i dont blame him.. but now we need to add size at all positions other than goal. its like how they never drafted defense until we got into such a corner we had no choice like this year.. the lack of size is now the same thing.. we at least have some guys who play a tough game but we need a big right hand defenseman, big center( was hoping for jack mcbain) and a big power winger hopefully a lefty

They have drafted Juolevi (6’3″), Briesbois(6-2), and and Tryamkin (6-7); throw in Sautner, Chatfield, and McEnemy and I would call it average size. Woo is not small, he is 6-0 200lbs, which is pretty solid, even for a 25 yr old NHL defenceman, let alone and 18 yr old draft pick.

As for centres, I still like MacEwen. He maybe a left winger in the NHL, but at 6-4, the kid has great hands and hockey smarts.

What I am saying, it it is not all small small small; there is a size in the system as well.

Gotta say I think it’s a mistake not to have grabbed Jake Wise at this point. It’s definitely a lottery at this stage anyway and why not go for a mid-first round talent with some serious injury troubles?

Hard to say that Lockwood has no NHL viability. His injuries has set him back but he’s a go-to guy in Michigan and played on a WJC team. He’s clearly in the upper tier. To go to college for a few years for development is not unusual.

Maybe you didn’t see enough of John Madden game.
Calling him a “4th line checker” is a gross misrepresentation. He was the premiere shutdown centre on the NJD second/third line who could also pot goals.

“premiere shutdown centre on the NJD second/third line who could also pot goals”.

Actually you are right as his 165 goals in 898 games is comparable to Vancouver`s `premiere shutdown centre` second/third line. That would be Brandon Sutter with 131 goals in 657 games and imagine how bad the Canucks would be without him.

.Listened to John Madden interviewed on 650 after his son was drafted by the Canucks.Taught his son to play with integrity.The old man played 12 NHL seasons,won three cups and was awarded the Selke (runner up 3 more times).The guy was a premier shut down NHL centre man and has remained in the game as an NHL scout/asst. coach and AHL head coach

You obviously did not see Madden play; I am not going to argue with a person who did not watch hockey (or has the ability to process what he saw). Madden was easily Kessler good. Except he has the Cups. He was the go to centre on that Devils team. If his kid is anything like the old man, the Canucks got a steal in the 3rd.

This is where Green’s quote about finding players you can win with may come into play. A player like Goldobin has to be a top 6 forward as he doesn’t have the game to play in a lower role. John Madden was a good player on several cup winning teams. He brought the skills and tenacity that made him a big part of that winning team. In Madden and Lockwood, you can see where Benning is looking for the third and fourth line players that will be part of a winner and not just failed top 6 guys who weren’t quite good enough.

Reminds me of the Lockwood pick. Great skating, slightly undersized energy guy with some skill upside. Very slight build at this point, the Canucks must be betting on some genetics that he ends up with a build similar to his father.